We received a promo membership offer in Arizona for $34 annually, and the brochures touted fabulous benefits including "Unlimited Distance Towing back to preferred service facility." When I called for a towing to my preferred facility I was told that only 5 miles were covered, and I would be liable for the other 6 miles - a very short distance. When asked why, with unlimited towing, I was told by the towing service working for AAA that I had the promo membership and that only covered 5 miles, but I could right now upgrade to full membership.

Since I was in need of the car, I opted for paying the 6 extra miles, but took the matter up with the AAA office and their misleading promo materials. All I could get was a "thank you for the information" and the offer of a $10 "Gift Certificate." Even after phone conversation there was no conciliation - they were right, they had told me about the extra 6 miles, and if I wanted a full membership, I'd have to pay $92. I remember when AAA was a classy business without such misleading bait & switch tactics. Beware of promo offers, that's my advice.

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Take Your Money and Run.

By ruru - 04/30/2010

I've been a member of AAA for 10 years and seldom used them. I had occasion to use them recently and was charged at the scene of the breakdown before they would help. When I complained about this I was told I had used up my benefits. I have a gold card with AAA and I'm entitled to 4 service calls. Why then did they charge me $45 to change a flat on my third call? I've tried numerous time to get reimbursed but they have not responded. I will not be renewing my membership but will got with another auto club who offers better service for a better price. Bye, bye AAA!

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AAA Membership

By Balanced - 04/03/2010

AAA Roadside Assistance club has been happily accepting my money for the past ten years without a service call requested. My summer vacation became an unbelievable nightmare. First my transmission line blew about 45 minutes from home, to which I was towed to my house for repairs. Having lost a day of vacation I set out again. Camping 6 hours from home, my truck key was lost/stolen and once again I needed AAA to get a dealer (an hour away) to make a replacement key.

Finally on my way home and still (5 1/2 hours away) my alternator went and needed a ride to get a replacement, which I installed myself on the side of the road. I was grateful to have had AAA during this extraordinary period of bad luck.

Then it got even worse there. While I still had another service call on my current membership, if needed, (allowed four per year), I was informed by AAA that they would not renew my current membership plan. I never asked to have that string of bad luck nor did I ever ask nor expect refunds for the years I did not need a service call. AAA is eager to cash your check but just as eager to drop you should you need their services. Since that time I have found another automobile club with better benefits and for less money. They have now earned my future business - bye bye AAA.

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AAA is pointless

By Michelle - 12/03/2009

PHX, ARIZONA -- Let me start by saying I worked for GM roadside assistance for 2 years and dealt with AAA daily and my boyfriend actually worked for AAA at one time they used to be good but who knows what's the problem now. Same issue as most people even though you are a member they refuse to help. I was stuck in NM in my RV and tried to get help, but I got hung up on 2 times while I was put on hold how convenient for them!!

So when my boyfriend called he just flat out asked for the manager and of course, they patch him through to some douchebag who is not even the manager. So about an hour was wasted just trying to get a hold of someone, we said screw it and called a tow truck driver and paid out of our own pocket. AAA is useless. Do not use this service. The service sucks now!!

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Homeowner's Insurance Ripoff

By Patrick - 10/06/2009

I had a really bad experience with homeowner's insurance through AAA Auto. I had full coverage on my home and property, including my swimming pool. When I bought the policy over the phone, they assured me that the pool was also covered. I said I was willing to pay extra for this coverage. Again they assured me that it was covered. In 2001 the pool "hydraulic-ed". I filed a claim with AAA. After two years of jerking me around they denied the claim. NOT one penny paid out to cover the loss!

So please learn from my TOTAL LOSS and DO NOT spend your hard-earned money on this ripoff insurance from this dishonest company. Pay the reputable companies for specific insurance and stay away from the B.S. artists like AAA.

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AAA Emergency Road Service

By Mitchell - 08/02/2009

I have AAA Plus and used up my 4 towing in 1 year. I knew I would have to pay an additional $30 for a road service call. I needed a tow about 30 miles to my home. The $30 is just for the service call and it does not include the towing which is $3 a mile additional. It would have cost me a total of $120 to tow my car. Their people are unreliable in the time--when they say 1 hour it is usually 2-3 hours. I wanted to speak to a supervisor and the operator would not put the call through. I will tell everyone I know about their terrible service that I know and go with a better company. A company that I can pay monthly and not yearly as with AAA ERS.

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AAA-Holiday Automotive Service

By scman01 - 08/20/2008

ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA -- My car was towed into Holiday Automotive Service in Anderson, SC for service. While the car was in their care, it was damaged, smashed windshield. The owner was very sarcastic about it and said it wasn't his fault and he wasn't going to fix it despite it being INSIDE HIS GARAGE AND ON HIS PROPERTY! He told me, it was an ACT OF GOD that caused this. He was very disrespectful and gave the impression that he just didn't give a damn about anything as long as he got his money. Long story short, my insurance company had to pay for it.

I come from a generation where a business transition isn't considered closed until the customer is happy. I also understand that there are people out there who look for ways to take advantage of business' but still, this was totally unreasonable. I called AAA and gave them a piece of my mind. This business IS THE PREFERRED AAA CERTIFIED REPAIR in Anderson SC. If your car breaks down in Anderson, don't take it to them. My car is a collectible car and parts are hard to come by.

Company Response 11/14/2008:

This Vehicle sat outside our shop for SEVERAL weeks waiting to be picked up by the customer. This customer was called numerous times to come pick the vehicle up. This winshield was not "smashed", it had recieved a heat crack while sitting in the summer sun.In SC there is NO deductable for auto glass claime and we suggested to call his insurance co. to get it replaced free of charge. This cost the customer nothing and would have cost us to replace the windshield. this vehicle was parked in an open parking lot. If your windshield is heat cracked in the Mall lot, do you try to get the Mall to pay? I think not. our customers are our # 1 priority, and we stand behind our work and our liability. ~~~~Dave Edwards , Owner

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Refusal of Service

By sbaringer798 - 01/04/2015

Rating: 1/51

ARIZONA -- Our car broke down on a narrow shoulder on a dangerous mountain road, with no cell reception for miles. AAA refused to send a tow truck because we did not remain with the vehicle, even though we came in to a central location on the edge of town where no tow truck could have gotten to the vehicle without driving right past us.

The first thing the call center asks is are you safe, and are there animals or children in the vehicle. It was not a safe location, and we did have animals. But forget all that: HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO GET ROAD SERVICE FROM AAA WHEN YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE CAR TO MAKE A PHONE CALL??? I'm cancelling my membership.

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Corrupt Company

By meganfrisbie821 - 12/31/2014

Rating: 1/51

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK -- AAA is a corrupt company who collects payments and then drops their clients if they make too many claims. The day after Christmas, AAA dropped my mother's insurance. This was after a drunk driver totaled her vehicle. They gave her very little time to choose a new vehicle, and she ended up getting one with faulty suspension, which caused her to injure her leg severely. Her injury required two surgeries, involving 27 Staples, and resulted in a pulmonary embolism. This cost the insurance company more money; however, this claim was a result of their own reluctance to give her a fair deal after the drunk driving incident.

When a drunk driver destroyed her vehicle, which was her prized possession, AAA refused to allow her to repair her car (which cost $3000 less than the total value of the car) and they refused to grant her a reasonable amount of time she to find a new car. As a result, they ended up having to pay for the injuries caused by the faulty suspension in a car she bought solely because she did not have enough time to shop around. Now, they are dropping her insurance. AAA is an unethical company. I am warning everyone I know not to get their insurance or their roadside assistance through this corrupt, immoral company.

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Towing

By tvicheck633 - 11/06/2014

Rating: 2/51

TIDEWATER, VIRGINIA -- I called AAA because the transmission in my car died. It's my husband's vehicle and I hadn't noticed that while we had current registration he had not put the sticker on the plate. Tow truck shows up and notices and tells me it's now $200 to tow my car home! So I told him I couldn't afford that and he left me and 3 kids to figure out how to get the car and ourselves home.

Why do I pay for these options if I can't use them? This was also not disclosed during the time of the call. Luckily the person whose driveway I was able to pull into let me keep my car there until I can return with the plate sticker. I also don't blame the driver as I do AAA. He had an order to follow to not allow my car to be towed. I place this solely on AAA.